Sweethearts
by nishikaze
Summary: Clay receives a package from his mother with boxes of message heart candies for Valentine’s Day, and Rai and Kim decided to share. Warning: Flufffactor 810 for tooth decay.


**Sweethearts**

A Xiaolin Showdown fan fiction by nishikaze

Clay receives a package from his mother with boxes of message heart candies for Valentine's Day, and Rai and Kim decided to share. Warning: Fluff-factor 8/10.

_Thoughts_, **Candy Heart**

February 10th

"Mail call!"

It was a typical winter evening at the monastery and the young monks were all enjoying a bit of free time before packing it in for the night. It was always on the warm side for winter, even in the mountains, but it was an early dark and the sky was clear. Dojo had been sent to retrieve mail for the monks, which he did once a month, despite all his protests. February was special though, and Kimiko, Raimundo and Clay had all received gifts for the Chinese New Year. The three were about to pack it in when Clay had found another package, containing not a just another gift but, "Whoo! Well lookie here! Momma sent me a Valentine!"

Kimiko, Raimundo and Omi came closer for a look, "You got a Valentine from your _mother_?" Rai cracked and Kimiko snickered. Clay ignored the two as he unpacked the box and Omi started his barrage of questioning about the nature of a Valentine.

Kimiko elbowed Rai silencing his oncoming crack and patiently explained the nature of Valentine's Day to Omi. "It's a day for showing the special people in your life how you feel by giving cards or flowers or candy."

"Oh… but then why would Raimundo make fun of Clay for getting a Valentine from his mother? Should not a mother show her love for her son on such a day?"

Raimundo burst out laughing, earning a glare from Kimiko, as she attempted to explain the origins of St. Valentine and the difference between romantic and familial love to the confused Omi.

"Well partners, looks like momma sent us _all_ candy, but if ya'll don't want none I recon I can eat it all…" He looked pointedly at Rai, who stopped laughing and gave him an innocent look.

"Have I ever said how sweet it is that your mother sends you candy Clay? It must be awful nice to have such a loving mother." He waggled his eyebrows and batted his eyes giving Clay a big smile.

"Uh huh." Clay tossed him a box, "Just don't choke on 'em"

Clay gave a box to Kimiko and Omi and settled down to eat his own. Rai sat down next to Kimiko while Omi sat down next to Clay. "So what did ya get anyway?" Rai asked.

Kimiko looked at her box, "Oh! A box of Sweethearts!"

Rai looked at his box, "Huh, me too. Some of the sayings on these things are so goofy."

Kimiko rolled her eyes, "Oh come on. You can't tell me you haven't 'passed notes' to a girl using these hearts before."

Rai popped a heart in his mouth. "Nope, way too corny. Not my style. What about you?" He asked casually.

Kimiko snorted, "Yeah right."

Rai looked down at the messages on the hearts, "You know some of these are a bit 'hot and heavy' but others aren't so bad."

"Oh yeah?" Kimiko smiled, "Show me one," Rai couldn't resist the challenge in her eyes.

Rai picked out a heart and handed it to Kimiko. **Go Girl**. She laughed, "That's just like you! OK… try this one."

She handed him a heart. **Smile.** "Oh now you can do better then that!" But he smiled anyway as he popped it in his mouth. He then picked out another heart from his box and handed it too her. **Cutie.**

She couldn't help but blush a bit as she handed him a heart back. **Smooth.** He laughed and handed her a **U Bet!**

Kimiko giggled and Rai handed her another heart. **Like me.**

Kimiko paused for a moment and blinked. It took her a moment, but she popped the heart into her mouth and the handed him another **Smooth**. Rai frowned and handed her another **Like me.** "Come on Kim, admit it, you know you do." He teased.

Kimiko carefully picked out another heart and handed it to him. _This will get him to stop._ She thought as she smirked up at him. Rai's eyes got big and he quickly glanced over at the other two monks, his hand closing over the heart. Clay and Omi were no longer paying any attention to them; the two of them were going through Clay's boxes. He looked at the heart again. **Hug me.**

Rai brought his arm up and put it around her shoulders bringing her in for a quick hug. Kimiko stiffened for a moment. _No way… He's actually doing it!_ It felt good to be held in Rai's arms. Too good, but she relaxed into it. Kimiko's hands moved around Rai's waist as she drew him close and after a moment's hesitation Rai settled in to enjoy the hug. Tightening his arms for a moment he then released her, quickly checking to make sure Clay and Omi didn't see.

The two were completely oblivious. Clay was going through his presents while Omi continued his barrage of questioning, between bites of candy hearts of course.

Kimiko smiled up at Rai, taking in his cute blush that he was trying so hard to hide. When he finally looked down she gave him a slightly smug look.

The blush faded from his cheeks as an idea formed in his mind. _Oh yeah… I'm not loosing this…_ He again rose to the challenge in her eyes. He fished through his remaining hearts and pulled one out. Handing it to her with his own smug little smile he waited for her to respond.

Kimiko knew she was in trouble before she even glanced at the heart in her hand. Unwillingly to take the easy way out, her sense of competition took over; she opened her hand to look at the candy message. **Kiss Me.**

Across the room Clay stood up and dusted himself off, "I don't know about you Omi but I'm plum tuckered out."

Omi, who had exhausted himself with his questions, looked as if he was about ready to fall asleep right there also stood and stretched, "It has been a very long day and we have another long day of training tomorrow and, as they say, early to bed, early to rise makes a man, healthy, much money, and _very_ smart." He said with yawn.

"You mean, healthy, wealthy and wise." Raimundo corrected in a dry voice.

"That also. Are the two of you coming?"

"In a minute, I just want to finish off my candy first," Raimundo answered back with a casual wave of his hand.

"What about you Kimiko?" Clay asked.

She cleared her throat and attempted to look preoccupied. "I'll be a there in a minute."

Clay shrugged and left with Omi in tow, leaving Rai and Kimiko alone. Raimundo cleared his throat, "You could have left you know. Clay gave you the perfect out."

Kimiko snorted; still blushing she tossed her head and gave him a defiant look. "A coward's way out."

Rai smiled. "So…" He smirked, "I'm waiting."

"Jerk…" Kimiko mumbled and sat up on her knees facing him. She cupped his face in his hands and, bringing his head down, she kissed his lips quickly, effectively wiping the smug look off his face. Rai's brain short circuited, not quite able to believe she had actually kissed him, _on the lips_. By the time he snapped out of his stupor he was alone in the room.

Rai stood up. Her lips had tasted like candy. He picked up the candy boxes off the floor and made his way back to their sleeping quarters. He was almost there when he heard Clay's voice off to the side of the building; it was obvious he was speaking into a cell phone. Curious, Rai slid into the shadows and crept forward, until he could hear the conversation. "Yeah Momma you were right. It worked like a charm. Yeah, they were sharin' the hearts, back and forth just like you said. Yeah Momma… No Momma… Yeah momma, I'm eatin' right…"

Rai backed off as Clay ended his conversation. By the time Clay made it back to the door he found Rai leaning against the door frame, half blocking the door and giving the taller boy a casual look. "Nice night," He remarked as he waited for the larger boy to walk by.

"I recon it is," Clay answered, he had just passed Rai when he heard the other boy ask, "So how's your mom?"

Clay stopped short. He didn't turn around when he answered but the tension was obvious in his back, "She's fine."

"The next time you speak to her, let her know I said 'thanks'."

"I'll do that partner. Anythin' else?"

"Yeah actually. I'll be sure not to tell Kimiko you set her up." He could hear Clay choke as he pushed past the larger boy and into their building. A quick glance showed that Kimiko was gone, probably off to the bathhouse, getting ready for bed. Rai found a safe place to hide the rest of the candy and quickly undressed for the night. He was just pulling his pajama top over his head when Kimiko swept by, purposefully not looking at him. Rai caught a glimpse of her pink cheeks anyway. As he lay down on his mat for the evening a large grin nearly cracked his face open. The smile didn't leave his face as he drifted off to sleep thinking about the rest of the candy in the boxes…

And the 7 other hearts that said **Kiss Me.**

* * *

OK, I know V-Day has passed but the muse struck me as I was eating a leftover box of Sweethearts. All of the heart messages really exist depending on the box you get. The story just kinda struck me out of the blue. I hope you enjoyed it! 


End file.
